Blogging as a Professional Development Tool for Nonprofit Managers

Heather Carpenter Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research University of San Diego

Blogs

Wikipedia Definition:

“User-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in reverse chronological order.”

“Real time” information

Blog Examples…

• Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Give and Take Blog • Blog Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants • Beth’s blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

Blogs You Read…

If you were to start a blog exercise

What topics would you write about?

Write them down…

Blogs as Professional Development Tools for Nonprofit Managers

Hypothesis:

Nonprofits gain insight from reading blogs, network with other nonprofit managers and share their own expertise and experiences by commenting in certain blogs.

Perspectives on Blogging the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector

I interviewed— • 3 Bloggers in the Nonprofit Sector – Sean Stannard-Stockton, Tactical Philanthropy Blog – Trista Harris, New Voices in Philanthropy Blog – Rosetta Thurman, Perspectives from the Pipeline Blog

• Started blogging within last year and half

Themes

• How did you get into blogging? • What topics do you blog about? • How do you handle comments on your blog? • Is your organization behind you blogging? • How has blogging effected your career? • What advice would you give to someone in the nonprofit sector wants to accelate their career from blogging?

How did you get into blogging?

• Sean – “Creating visibility for the firm” – “Avenue towards … creating [a] brand and persona around myself and the firm

• Trista – Few people blogging about next generation philanthropy and Foundation issues

• Rosetta – Bring the voice of next generation to the nonprofit sector

What topics do you blog about?

• Sean – Philanthropy and financial issues • Trista – Next generation philanthropy

• Rosetta – Leadership development and diversity issues in the sector

How do you handle comments?

• Sean – Create Conversations • Trista – Email people directly

• Rosetta – Commenting not a focus

Is your organization behind you blogging?

• Trista – Her Foundation didn’t know how to handle her blogging

• Rosetta – Increased Reputation

• Sean – $150k in revenue because of his blogging

How has blogging affected your career?

• Sean – Media, speaking, writing • Trista – Speaking, next generation expert

• Rosetta – Use blog as leveraging point, teaching, writing articles

Advice

• Sean & Rosetta – Just start • Trista – Find your purpose

Discussion

Opportunity to Change a Field

• Sean – Wanted Foundation Officers be proactive in commenting and blogging • Rosetta – Wanted generation x and y’s voices heard in the nonprofit sector • Trista – Diversity Issues

Criticism

• Although blogs are great…

• Use of blogs has critics – Content validity. • Those who consult blogs need to take into consideration: – The blog author – Blogger expertise – Readers situation

What’s Next?

Should all nonprofit managers blog?

Should nonprofit managers use blogs to accelerate their career?

Transparency Discussion

Drink the Kool-Aid?

Ways to promote nonprofit blogs…